When we first met
by migaDbr
Summary: An aura of darkness and depression came from that orphanage still days after that madness came to an end. When memories tormented their souls, only the innocent and sincere smile of a boy could drive away the shadows and guide them to light. /partially R18: dubcon/


_**Wow, I took longer than expected to finish this. Welcome!**_

_**This story had a few 'raisons d'être'. The first and most important one is to honour a videogame I have beaten and completed: Inazuma Eleven 2. This is, concretely, a tribute to the Blizzard version of the game, which is the one I've played so far. The second reason is that, well… I wanted to write EnYaga. As simple as that. :"3**_

_**Going on with my, err, 'series' of tributes to beaten games, I thought I would start working on this one before getting down to work with my tributes to Inazuma Eleven Strikers and Strikers 2012 Xtreme! Mostly because this idea is the one I liked the most. lol**_

_**I love Glac and Rinji-sama because they sometimes give me EnYaga, so I'd like to dedicate this little one-shot to them both. Even if they won't read it.**_

_**And, of course, a million thanks to Audrey, who checked this piece of crap and corrected my many and horrible mistakes. I LOVE YOU, NEECHAN. *insert hearts, love, confetti and chocolate fountains***_

_**I wouldn't want to make this intro any longer, so let's get on with it already! Have fun!**_

* * *

"Ouch! This is scalding hot!"

"I just told you to blow and to have it sip to sip, moron!"

"Well, it's just that… I was looking forward to drinking your tea again!"

"…What?"

"It turned out very good. You've improved a lot!"

"It's possible."

"I guess it's normal, right? You had plenty of time to practice; we were out for months!"

"Yeah. I somehow… missed him."

"He left to play soccer; there's no better excuse than that!" He laughed.

"He wouldn't have kept up with it if not for you, anyway."

"Really…? Ha ha! Deep inside, it's a real honour to know that such a fantastic player didn't quit playing soccer thanks to me!"

"Fantastic? Do you admire him that much?"

"Of course, the same way I admire you all! You're absolutely awesome; the one I played against you guys was one of the hardest matches of my life!"

She blew and sipped a little of her tea. She stood watching her cup for a few seconds.

"…Mamoru-kun."

"Eh? What's wrong, Reina-chan?"

"Thank you."

"Uh? What do you mean?" He said before taking another sip and burning up again in silence.

"For what happened when we first met, I mean…"

"Ah, that! It was nothing! In fact, I'm the one who should thank you!"

"Accept it and that's that."

"O-okay, agree! Not at all…?"

"Good."

It was already a habit that Mamoru Endou, Raimon's captain, and Reina Yagami, The Genesis' second-in-command, would meet at the orphanage known as Ohisama-En, where the girl lived, to have tea, play soccer or do other things that, from time to time, would break their routine, just as it had happened the previous night. And, even if not often, the young goalkeeper would reflect on it.

_When we first met…_

* * *

"This place is huge, Hiroto!"

"Heh, do you like it, Mamoru?"

"It's incredible! I didn't think you guys would live in a place like this!"

Endou was visiting the Ohisama-En for the first time. Even before Hiroto and Mamoru would start playing together in Inazuma Japan, Seijirou Kira's adoptive son had decided to share all the truth with that soccer freak who had saved them from becoming puppets of a father corrupted by a power that deprived him of his will.

Kiyama slid the door open and let him in. Indeed, that place was immense; it must be to take in all of the players who had been part of the Aliea Academy.

Mamoru looked in all directions; the Ohisama-En was a typical Japanese house, with barely but very skilfully furnished rooms. The big backyard attached to the house was surprising, too.

"Welcome to our home, Endou."

Endou recognized the voice of whom just until a few days ago had been his coach. The libero's face brightened up and a big smile appeared on hers.

"Coach Hitomiko! Did you know I was coming or what?"

"Of course. Hiroto asked me to have everything ready to welcome you and show you the house."

"Never mind the house! Let's all play soccer together again! I was left wanting to have a match just for fun…!"

Hiroto scratched the nape of his neck.

"I don't know if that will be possible, Mamoru. It cannot be said that the boys are in too high spirits. Father's imprisonment has affected them more than I thought it would…"

"What? Really? Everything has been solved, though! Kira-san has gone back to his usual self; that should be enough of a reason to be happy!"

"Times were hard, Endou," Hitomiko said, placing a hand on Mamoru's shoulder. "I think the most sensible thing to do would be to let them rest by now and not to play soccer. They will again, I know it, but they need some time."

"Where are they now, coach? I don't see anyone around here."

"They all are in their rooms, at least on the first floor. Any of those above might be out."

"Can I talk to them? I don't think they will feel like playing today, but at least I want to meet them as something else than aliens! Because they do also have a real name the same way you do, right, Hiroto?"

"Yes, of course, all of them have a true name. But, to be honest, I've been using the Aliea nicknames for so long that there's people whose name I can't remember," Hiroto laughed, slightly nervous.

"Then let's find out their names together! Are you coming, coach?"

"I'm sorry, Endou, but I can't. I have been cleaning for your arrival and I have had no time to do the shopping." _ And all to end up finding out that he doesn't even care…__ What a_ _boy_, she thought. "I'll be back in a short while to keep an eye on you."

"We'll be waiting for you! Let's go by now, Hiroto!"

"Of course, Mamoru!"

Endou and Kiyama broke into a run across the corridor with a big smile on their mouths. Hitomiko was happy to see Hiroto smile again and, smiling a faint smile too, she left the Ohisama-En in those soccer freaks' hands.

* * *

"Maybe we should split up, don't you think? You guys are a lot, and that way we would finish earlier."

Something inside Hiroto crumbled down. Now that he had met Mamoru again, he didn't want to get separated from him so soon, but he had no choice but to bow before the evidence and side with him.

"All right, let's do everything possible to help them, Hiroto!"

"S-sure! Ah, by the way, if you see Ulvida, tell her… that I miss being with her."

"Hm? Ah, yes, of course, don't worry!"

"Thank you. I'll see you later, Mamoru!"

Hiroto stayed on the first floor and Mamoru went up to the second. The closest doors to the stairs looked out to a study, a bathroom and some empty rooms. The sound of doors opening and closing alarmed one of the inhabitants of the Ohisama-En, who poked his head round to the corridor with the deliberation to discover what or who was kicking up a racket like that so suddenly.

A boy with grey hair and black glasses quartered the ground in search of the culprit. His expression changed abruptly when he saw Endou loitering around the place.

"Y-you! What are you supposed to be doing here!?"

"Ah, I finally find someone!" Mamoru smiled, relieved. "I was starting to think this place was empty!"

"Answer once and for all…! I don't know what you are doing here, but get lost! We don't do anything bad anymore, so stop wasting time and leave us alone! You have no reason to be here!"

Two young girls came out from the same room which the boy had just appeared from, lured by his shouts. The first one had long, purple hair and deep red eyes. The second one, who seemed much calmer, had greyish eyes and blue hair that she would tie up in two locks secured by little yellow bands. The first gripped the boy's arm and frowned when she saw Endou. The second one limited herself to staring at the libero with her arms folded and a serene expression.

"Clara, IC, get out of here! It's Raimon's captain! He's back to take revenge on us…!"

"W-what!? Far from that, I swear!" Mamoru screamed, alarmed and shaking his hands all around. "I don't want to fight anyone, I just came to talk! Hiroto invited me!"

"Hiroto? Who's Hiroto?" IC asked.

"He refers to Gran, I suppose," Clara answered. "Is that so, Raimon boy?"

"Yes, exactly! I just wanted… well, to meet you for real, regardless of the alien thing!"

Clara, smiling an almost unappreciable smile, began to walk towards Mamoru with decision.

"S-stop, Clara! We don't know what he could do to you!" IQ shouted, trying with no success to keep her friend.

"You worry too much. I know what I'm doing, so shut your trap."

Clara placed herself in front of the smiling Endou and proffered her hand to him.

"I'm Clara. I'm glad we can be friends."

"My name is Mamoru Endou!" Raimon's player exclaimed happily, shaking Clara's hand with effusiveness. "You can call me Mamoru if you want!"

"It won't be needed," she answered, letting the boy shake her hand as much as he wanted without offering resistance as she laughed without raising her voice. "I think I have grown accustomed to calling you Endou."

"Ah, yes, sure, whatever you want!" Mamoru claimed in a much higher voice tone than the one considered 'of indoors'. "Hey, Clara, what is your true name? I don't want to keep using those alien names now that I know that you guys are humans!"

"My case is special. My real name is also Clara. Clara Kurakake, to be exact, but I'd rather you called me just Clara," Diamond Dust's and Chaos' defender answered with mettle.

"All right!" Mamoru smiled. He noticed again the couple behind Clara and pointed at them. "Hey, and those?"

"They're IQ and IC. Shuuji and Ai Touchi; they're siblings."

"Clara, you traitor, don't tell him our names!" Shuuji Touchi screamed, still distrustful. In spite of being very intelligent, his paranoia was stronger than him.

"Calm down already, you bore. Do you really find that smile menacing?" Clara scolded him, turning her attention to Endou again and smiling weakly. "I would say it's sincere. That's enough for me."

Ai let go of her brother's arm and took a pair of steps forward before the frightened gaze of Shuuji.

"Do you really think we can trust him, Clara…?" She asked still scared, mostly due to the distrustful attitude of her brother.

"Sure. Think about it: the Aliea Academy has disappeared, so now he has no reason to want to do anything bad to us. In fact, I would say that what he has come here for is to play soccer."

As only response, Endou showed a big grin and approached the Touchi siblings. After seeing that Ai retorted the gesture timidly, he placed himself in front of the sceptical Shuuji and proffered his hand to him.

"Nice to meet you, Touchi! I hope we can be friends!"

Although unwilling, Shuuji, mostly not to look like a coward in front of his sister, plucked up his courage and shook Mamoru's hand firmly.

"…Likewise, Endou. But keep your eyes peeled; I won't let even a single one go."

Shuuji smiled slightly and Endou let out a guffaw. Ai quickly came next to the both of them and friendly proffered her hand to Mamoru, who shook it quickly and energetically.

"I'm glad we are finally friends, Endou-chan~!"

"Endou-chan?" Mamoru laughed. "Well, I'm glad too! Actually, I just wanted to make peace with you all!"

"I find it a laudable gesture, but that might not be possible, Endou," Clara said without moving from her place. Endou turned his gaze to her. "We are, to put it somehow, a special case. The shock has affected a lot of people in quite a bad way and, now, some of them don't even know who they are. Others simply feel that they have gone off course in their life. Can you see that bedroom?" Kurakake said as she pointed at a nearby door. "That's where an Epsilon girl lives, but she's so depressed that she won't talk to anyone. In fact, Maquia has to sleep in another bedroom because she won't even let her in; she kicked her out as soon as she saw her. I can't remember what she is called; I'm afraid my memory isn't fully operative yet either. It was a lot of time of being exposed to the Aliea Stone."

"She was called Crypto, Clara-chan," Ai added.

"Ah… I don't really get it, but I must do something!" Mamoru said as he clenched his fists, resolute to help as far as possible.

"Are you mad or what?" Shuuji shouted, gripping Endou from his arm. "You can't just go inside; you'll come to a sticky end! You don't know how violent she is!"

"I won't know that until I try! I couldn't forgive myself if I left her in the lurch to her fate without even trying to help her!"

Ai approached her brother and held his free hand before looking in his eyes.

"Shuuji, please, let him give it a try."

"A-ai…"

Shuuji's face twisted completely, mixing angst for letting Endou put his head in the lion's mouth and endless love towards his sister in a single expression. Eventually, he obeyed Ai and let go of Raimon's captain.

"It's fine, I won't keep you. Do whatever you have to do."

Endou smiled and put his thumb up in a soothing way.

"Don't worry about me! I promise nothing will happen!"

"Endou," Clara said, approaching him.

"Eh? What's wrong?"

She didn't say anything else. Clinging to his arm, Clara tiptoed and, closing her eyes, kissed Mamoru softly on the cheek, causing both him and Shuuji to blush furiously.

"W-WHAT WAS THAT FOR, CLARA!?" Shuuji screamed, terrified like ever in his life.

"It was a good luck kiss. I don't want anything to happen to him. Go, Endou."

"A-ah…? Ah! Y-y-yes, sure! See you later, guys!"

The three ex Diamond Dust members went into their room again, shrouded by the harmful and heartbroken sobs that Shuuji emitted, the curt and indifferent shoves that tried to push the clingy guy aside from Clara and a smiling Ai who contemplated the scene as if it were a humour film. They didn't realize about it, but that was the first time they truly smiled every since the Aliea Academy incident.

After seeing how the door of the bedroom closed, Mamoru headed to the room where he was expecting to meet Crypto.

* * *

He heard noises.

Splat, splat, splat. The weak paper doors would produce a hollow and strident sound when being banged on by Mamoru's knuckles.

He didn't get any answer.

He proceeded to open the door slowly; even from the outside it could be seen that the light was off. He felt the wall that was immediately to the sides of the door, so luckily that he found the switch straight away. He flicked the lever by a light finger blow and there was light in the darkroom.

Absolutely no one around.

He scratched his head. He was sure that the noises he had heard before came from the inside of the room, but there wasn't a soul there. It didn't seem either like anyone had had a snoop round there recently; everything was perfectly straightened up and in its place. A desk with its corresponding chair, a built-in sliding door wardrobe on the wall, a little shelving full of books too complex for the taste of the hyper libero and, right beside the wall, a lonely bed. Everything normal. Too normal.

Mamoru remembered Clara's words. 'Maquia has to sleep in another bedroom because she won't even let her in. She kicked her out as soon as she saw her.' That meant that there should be room for two people there, but there was only one bed, and it wasn't big enough for two people to sleep comfortably on it neither. Then, how was Maquia, whoever she was, supposed to had been sleeping there until then?

Endou was surprised of his own deduction. He imagined that, from somewhere, his grandpa was patting his back and telling him 'well done, Mamoru, I'm proud of you'. The libero grinned stupidly.

He stood at the entrance, thinking as he scratched his cheek. The only logical answer he could think of was that, just like his idolized Doraemon, one of the two girls would sleep out of the bed, in a futon. After checking around the room again, he turned his eyes to the wardrobe. He approached it slowly and without making a sound, almost afraid that someone would hear him. He stood in front of the door and breathed deeply as he grasped its edge. He opened the wardrobe with a single pull and looked inside.

Nothing.

In fact, in the upper shelf was the futon in which Crypto or Maquia would sleep, but there was no one in it. Disappointed and confused, Endou sighed and turned around, assuming the room was empty. Nothing further from the truth; as soon as he took two steps in the opposite direction, a body came out from the shadows of the lower part of the wardrobe and sprung at him from the back, gripping his arms and holding them behind his back so that he couldn't move. After flinging his head against the floor with its free hand and lifting itself onto him completely, it moved next to Raimon's captain's ear and, in contrast to Mamoru's cries of pain, it began to whisper.

"Who are ya. What're ya doin' here. What do ya want from me."

"O-ouch! M-my name is Mamoru Endou, can't you remember me!? We played soccer together at Okinawa and Osaka!"

"…Soccer?" Crypto growled. "I can't play soccer."

"D-don't talk nonsense, Crypto!" Mamoru exclaimed, struggling weakly. "Of course you can play, and what's more, you're awesome at it!"

"…I'm tellin' ya I haven't played soccer in my whole life."

"I'm telling you the truth! Can't you remember our matches? Can't you remember how much fun it was in the end? And your teammates? Desarm! Do you remember Desarm? You love to play as much as we do!"

"C-crap," the confused alien stuttered. "Why… why am I believin' ya. Why's it affectin' me even though I can't remember anythin'. I know everythin' ya're sayin's a lie, but… why thinkin' of that stupid sport's makin' me feel like this? Who the Hell're ya supposed to be!?"

"I'm just someone who loves soccer with all his soul, just like you! You are scared because you had to use it for bad purposes, but all that is over! You can play again without worrying about anything, just for fun! Try to remember, Crypto!"

"I… A-ain't Crypto…"

"What's your name?"

"I… can't remember…!"

Crypto took her hands to her head and started to shake it. Something in her mind was moving, anxious to awaken. The memories the shock had blocked were trying to come to light. Still affected by the continual exposure to the Aliea Stone, she had unconsciously shut herself away inside her aggressive alien identity to run away from those memories from the past, those memories that had traumatized her after losing to Raimon for the second time and being thrown out from Aliea Academy along with her whole team.

She had renounced to everything and she had become an animal. She went back to the Ohisama-En almost through the motions, like a stray dog on the highway, and, ever since, she had barely come out of her room. She would only trust Hitomiko, the one who had saved her.

In that state of intoxication and lack of conscience, Crypto couldn't remember anything. Her past, her family, her friends; they all were diluted and undistinguishable stains inside of her head. The only thing she had left was her name, Crypto. She was a defeated alien that was trying to survive.

But soccer, that human sport in which two teams struggle against each other to kick a ball, would awaken something new inside of her; A glimmer of light in that sea of darkness. And then, she stood up.

Before Endou could react, Crypto had gone back to the wardrobe and picked a soccer ball out of it. The girl hit the libero a few times with the toe of her trainers, urging him to stand up.

"I dunno who ya're and I can't play either, but I know ya're makin' me feel weird. And I don't like it. Ya and I're gonna play soccer, and it better be of any use or I'll make mincemeat out of ya!"

* * *

Endou placed himself between two trees of the garden and clapped his hands to show that he was ready. It was clear that that place was the residence of many soccer lovers, since those two trees were connected by a net that acted as a goal.

After placing the ball on an improvised penalty point marked on the floor by a little piece of ground without grass, Crypto stared at Mamoru.

"Let's see how ya like this!"

After taking a little run up, Crypto shot with all her might. The shot aimed directly at the corner of the net, but Endou managed to clear it with his fist. The ball went back bouncing to a point nearby the girl, who clicked her tongue and accepted her defeat unwillingly.

"That was an amazing shot, Crypto!"

"D-don't call me Crypto! That… that's not my name! I… Aargh, let's keep on playin'!"

Crypto ran to the ball again and, without even realizing about what she was doing or how she was doing so, she hit the ball with the heel and it started to gather energy. Frightened at realizing what was happening but reluctant to give up because of it, she limited herself to level a dirty look at Endou.

"Take this!"

The girl shot with all her might. The power of the hissatsu left a trail of destruction in its wake.

Endou lost a few valuable seconds looking at that unconscious movement, so he had to hurry to summon his grandpa's ace technique to face it.

"Here goes! Majin The Hand!"

Crypto's lack of practice and all of Endou's extra training was noticeable: the shot got nailed in the keeper's hands without much effort.

Endou smiled for himself and stood looking at the ball as he talked, keeping the sphere to the height of his chest and right beside it.

"What you have just done is called Astro Break, you know?"

When he turned his gaze to Crypto again, he realized how she was holding her head with both hands, keeping her eyes closed and growling. Endou, scared, approached her at a run.

"Are you alright, Crypto!?"

"I told ya not to… call me… Crypto, dammit! I'm…! F-fuu… Fuu…!"

Endou held Crypto from her shoulders when he saw she was staggering, trying to help her keep her balance.

"L-let me go… and let's keep on playin'…" Crypto said between gasps and in a low voice.

"Alright, Cr- I mean… Fuu-chan."

Mamoru grinned widely and, for the first time, Crypto softened her expression. She didn't really smile, but at least she stopped looking so menacing.

* * *

"How are you feeling now?"

"Quite better. …Thanks; I've actually had a nice time."

"Sure!" The goalkeeper smiled. "That's because soccer is the most fun thing in the world! I knew that even though the way you used it, you guys loved soccer above all! If you didn't like it, you couldn't play so well!"

"Heh… Ya might be right. I admit I've remembered many more things today than in all of the other days I've been here. Maybe soccer does actually have more than what can be seen with a naked eye, huh?"

"Of course! There's nothing that can't be solved with a good match!"

"I like that way of seein' life, goalie."

"E-eh? What do you mean goalie?" Mamoru chuckled. Crypto returned him a teasing smile.

"Well, if ya're gonna call me Fuu-chan, then I'll call ya goalie. How 'bout that~?"

"Ha ha! Sure, as you like! May I at least ask why?"

"It's a way to get closer to people. A… sign of confidence," the girl said, getting closer to Mamoru likewise and making him get a little nervous. "Don't ya think so?"

"Ah… Yes, it makes sense! …H-hey, do you remember your name already?"

Crypto nodded.

"Ya can call me Fuuko Kuri."

"It's a great name!" Endou exclaimed, putting his thumb up and winking an eye at the girl. "Ah, by the way, my name is Mamoru Endou! Nice to meet you!"

"I see. Yer... strange. Special. I couldn't specify what's wrong inside of yer head, but it even looks like ya make the most of it."

"Do you think so?" Endou chuckled. "I don't know, I just try to help my friends!"

"Why did ya help me, then? We were enemies."

"Don't talk drive!" The libero broached, frowning slightly and shaking his head. "When the match is over, there are no enemies!"

"There're no enemies, huh… It's a nice philosophy. Well, I think I'd better go. I've… a few things to do now. Thanks and all."

"I had so much fun today, Fuu-chan! Let's play together again!"

"Sure, goalie. I'll be waitin' for the day you'll come back."

Fuuko went in the orphanage again, leaving Mamoru by himself. He stood looking at the havoc her Astro Breaks had caused all over the garden. It definitely was a prodigious hissatsu.

Minutes later, Mamoru went in the Ohisama-En again and, once more, went up the stairs. He looked at the front and gazed at the outlook. Noise could only be heard at the room of the members of Diamond Dust, from which now Fuuko's voice also came. He smiled for himself and moved forward down the corridor. All of the bedrooms except Fuuko's, which had its blinds down, were illuminated by the natural light of the sun. Most of the rooms were open, although there apparently weren't anyone in them. Nonetheless, a noise that he had been hearing for a long time urged him to keep advancing. The sound became clearer and clearer with every step. He ended up stopping in front of one of the last doors of the corridor and stuck his ear to it; indeed, the sound was coming from there. He took a breath, opened the door and took a look inside.

* * *

Her bed had always been placed against one of the corners of the bedroom. Shrunk in the corner, hugging her legs, hiding her face between her arms and uttering silent and woeful sobs, Ulvida seemed much less threatening than she had on the field. Endou's gaze fixed on her and, even if planks creaked beneath his feet, the young woman of indigo hair and white bangs didn't make a hint to move at all.

He sat next to her and smiled.

"Hop off, Kohma. I don't feel like being with anyone today, let alone with you."

He blinked and chuckled softly.

"I'm not Kohma, Ulvida-san!"

Only then did she raise her gaze. Her eyes, red and still full of thick tears, could only distinguish a silhouette and a striking orange colour. She wiped her tears away with her hands and made a wry face, trying to hide her sadness.

"…What are you doing here? Who gave you permission to come in our house? And above all, who let you in my room, you bastard!?"

"Ah… Hiroto and coach Hitomiko invited me over today. E-excuse the trouble!"

"So this is something of Gran's, huh… What a jerk."

"Gran? Do you still call him that? Can't you remember his real name or what, Ulvida-san?"

"Of course I remember his name, you dork! Perfectly! Can't you see I knew who you were talking about? I simply… don't want to use it."

"How so? Don't you two get along?"

"…He's my boyfriend, you idiot. How can we not get along!?"

"What!? Really? W-wow, I knew nothing! Although we can't really say that we have talked a lot… But then, if you know him so well, why don't you want to call him by his name?"

Ulvida remained silent and buried her face between her knees again. Her voice sounded thick and distant as it had to break through to come out.

"You should know. You were there."

"I was…? Ah!"

He blinked twice and made a wry face when he realized it. Carefully thought, it made sense, seeing what had happened.

The events dated back to barely a week before. Raimon's team, after going through countless predicaments, beating various rivals and gathering the strongest team on Earth, headed to the headquarters of the Aliea Academy, known as "Laboratory of the Apostles of the Star", with the only purpose of defeating The Genesis, the alien master rank team, and thus prevent the outsiders from conquering the world through soccer.

Raimon's team, headed by Hitomiko Kira, their coach, went around the ins and outs of the laboratory where The Genesis was hidden, discovering various secrets on the way about the so-called aliens and their past, defeating rivals as diverse as a soccer team made entirely of robots or annulling the control the Aliea Stone exerted on the players they had faced up until then.

A hard-fought match against The Genesis began, in which Raimon ended up emerging victorious. Seijirou Kira had been defeated, and the malicious influence of the Stone had disappeared. Nonetheless, a strong stimulus was needed for this to happen.

After the match, the ringleader of the operation, still under the perverse effect of the Stone, branded The Genesis and its players as useless and despised them vilely. Ulvida, who had been appointed new The Genesis' captain in the middle of the match as Gran didn't have the necessary fearlessness to follow the radical indications of his adoptive father, felt terribly hurt. She had given everything for him. She had endangered her personal safety, even her life, to make her father happy and help him accomplish his objectives. And how would he repay her? With scorn and coldness she would have never expected from the father she so much loved and admired ever since her tenderest youth.

Ulvida was blind with rage. How could her dear father be acting that way? Who was that monster that was standing in front of her? Why the one who had saved them all and had given them a life after they lost their parents had turned into such a horrible being? What had they done to be treated like scum?

The new captain didn't think. She didn't want to think. She was sparing no effort to avoid thinking. She just acted, even if the only voice that told her to do so was in the most recondite and dark place inside of her. But, ignoring the thousands of voices that told her not to do it, she shot with all her might. A quick yet lethal Astro Break that headed straight to Seijirou Kira.

Ulvida brought her hands to her mouth when she saw what had happened, dejected and hurt by herself. Gran, who refused to hate his father, had got in the way of the shot and had blocked it with his body. The alien couldn't believe it. Not only she had tried to seriously hurt her father, but, moreover, she had ended up harming Gran instead. The one who had taken care of her and protected her from all evil ever since they met. The one she was in love with and for whom she possessed a mutual love even if she had never recognized it, not even in the most intimate moments.

And she went to pieces. Her legs failed her and she fell to her knees.

The base started to shake; it was about to self-destruct. The members of The Genesis, worn out for having forced their bodies to such limits, could barely stand. The only one in a condition to move without any help was Ulvida. But, why would she? She had nothing left. Her father hated her. Her boyfriend was hurt because of her. She didn't have any reason to save herself. And, then, he appeared.

Her words would still drum her mind. 'Hey! Don't just stand still! You've got to escape! Hurry up and get moving!' Why? Why was he doing that? She couldn't understand it. Weren't they rivals? He should be looking forward to get rid of them…! 'What do you mean why? So you can stay alive! Besides… That way you'll be able to play soccer again!' His smile was so contagious that he couldn't help returning it even though her eyes were flooded with tears. And, thanks to him, thanks to that boy who had now come back at her side, she survived. In fact, that Mamoru Endou guy was the strangest she would ever see.

And, for the first time in a long, long whole, Ulvida smiled.

"…Thanks."

"Thanks?"

The fact that the silence that had formed between the two of them was broken that way surprised the young Mamoru greatly.

"Yes… Thanks, Endou-kun. If… If it hadn't been for you, I don't know what we would have done. You saved us… me especially."

"Ah…? Did I really do something like that?" Endou laughed, scratching his cheek. His little ways and tics were always present. "No, I don't think so! I think the credit is yours! It's useless for me to tell you something If you don't want to listen to me, I tell you from bitter experience!"

Mamoru burst out laughing. His laugh was pure and healthy; a contagious laugh that would cheer anyone u, and a laugh that reminded her why she admired him that much.

"Heh… You might be right. Although… it doesn't make me feel any better. Father, the other members of The Genesis, Gran… They all are like that because of me. You gave me back my zest for life, Endou-kun, but I can't forgive myself. I just… I just want Father to be by our side, safe and sound. I wish I could protect him forever. I wish I could go back in time and…"

"Lamenting and pitying yourself won't help at all!" Endou answered back, cutting the girl short. His voice wouldn't show anger, but deep concern. "The best way to respond to other people's feelings is through acts! If you want to protect him, start right away! If you are sorry, let the past behind and don't let it get to you when the time to help him in the future comes! Regret is only useful if your feelings are strong enough to make the most of it, Ulvida-san!"

Tears were thronging in Ulvida's eyes again as Raimon's captain talked. With every word it was more evident that that boy had something strange in the best of senses. His determination would inspire, his fearlessness would cheer, his feelings would reach her with the precision and speed of an arrow. She had to make a superhuman effort to talk instead of burst into tears.

"…Yagami."

"Huh?"

"My… name is not Ulvida. It's… R-Reina Yagami."

The boy smiled and offered his hand to her.

"My name is Mamoru Endou! Nice to meet you, Yagami-san!"

She weakly held his hand and shook it, briefly.

"…I'm very grateful for your friendship."

"Hm, then… May I ask something in exchange? I know that I have done just one thing for you, but I have two things in mind."

"…We'll see. By now, spit it out."

"First of all, stop calling Hiroto by that alien name! He's striving right now to erase those bad memories from your siblings' minds, and using those nicknames doesn't help… Besides, he's looking forward to your relationship going back to normal again so you can spend time together once more!"

"Really?" She whispered. "…Okay, wish granted. Say, what was the other thing?"

"Yagami-san…!"

"Huh?"

Mamoru grinned widely and bounced lightly in the place.

"_Sakka yarou ze!_"

"…Sure, why not," she smiled. "It'll be nice to play… with no pressure."

Mamoru didn't get to see anyone else that day. At least, they didn't make him tidy up the breakage that Reina's Astro Break's caused in the already worn garden.

* * *

"Mamoru-kun!"

"Ah, hey, Hiroto! How did it go?"

"I can't complain. It seems like some of them are already in higher spirits. What about you?"

"Me? Ha ha! I'll just say that I've met awesome people. As awesome as you!"

"As me…" Hiroto looked down for a few seconds as he smiled like a fool. He soon shook his head and looked at Mamoru again. "Thanks."

"I hope we will soon be able to play all together again! I'm looking forward to playing another match with you guys!"

"I'm sure, Mamoru-kun, I'm sure. Hey, you know what? I was thinking of changing my hairstyle. I don't like it so plain."

"Ha ha, Hiroto! I didn't know you cared that much about those things!"

"…Well, I have a reputation to uphold."

Mamoru burst out laughing, happier than ever.

* * *

"Hey. Hey! Earth to Mamoru! Are you asleep or what!?"

Yagami had been calling Endou for about a minute and, seeing as he wouldn't answer, she approached him and started to snap her fingers before the goalkeeper's face, angry and impatient. Surprised by the noise, Mamoru finally came out of the trance he had gone into for a while and looked at Reina as he smiled kindly.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Reina-chan! It's just that I was thinking of the day we met and we became friends. I guess I buried myself too much in my memories, ha ha…!"

"Hm… It's not something exactly pleasant to remember. We can't really say we met in the best circumstances."

"What are you saying? I remember that day as one of the bests of my life! To have met so many great soccer players at once has been one of the best experiences I've ever gone through!"

Yagami sighed and gave a faint teasing smile before getting a little closer to Endou.

"So one of the best experiences of your life. Mamoru-kun, am I part of any other of the 'best experiences of your life', by any chance?"

Mamoru suddenly got nervous and looked away slightly, flushed.

"O-of course! You know that I liked a lot that from yesterday…"

The smile on Reina's face became more flagrant. Her eyes shone with malice with every word she spoke.

"I was talking about the match between Raimon and The Genesis. We were talking about soccer, remember?"

"Ah…!? Really…!?" The young keeper babbled, disconcerted and much redder than before. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…! Y-yes, of course, it was one of the best moments of my life; it was an amazing match!"

Reina sat on Mamoru's lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world. One of her hands devoted itself to slide over the boy's chest, drawing circles with her finger; the other was thrown around his head to pulled him towards her. Endou stared into Yagami's eyes, shivering in nervousness as their noses brushed.

"I wonder which one of those two memories is the one that has get you so nervous," the girl said calmly as she moved her hand from his chest to the goalkeeper 's growing erection and squeezed it softly, then repeatedly above the pants, making Endou squirm at each movement. He unconsciously clung to the girl's waist as soon as she started touching him. Mamoru kept quiet for a few seconds. Reina began squeezing harder, moving her hand along so the brushing would be greater.

"…I-it's because of you! Of course that it's because of you!" Endou sobbed, already unable to stand that torture. Yagami smiled at the boy's groans, delighted by the pitiful sound they produced.

"Weren't you satisfied with yesterday's?"

"What!? I-it's not that, really! I… sure, of course I was! But, it's just that…"

"You're shameful and despicable. Getting like this just because a girl approaches you a little… The ex-girlfriend of one of your best friends, no less. How revolting."

"E-e-excuse me, Yagami, I…" Endou muttered, absolutely ashamed of himself and of his body's reactions.

"But deep inside, I'm glad," she added peacefully without letting Endou finish his babbling.

"I'm despic- Eh…? You're... glad?"

"I like knowing that I'm the one who causes this."

"…I thought you knew that already…" Endou whined before lowering his gaze, smiling softly.

"Besides…~"

"Besides…?"

"I wasn't satisfied, Mamoru-kun. At all."

"No? Did… did I do it wrong?" Endou whined, worried and restless.

"I guess not," Reina said with indifference, shrugging. "But you didn't do it the way I like it. Honestly, I don't think you're capable of leading something like that… yet."

"I… I'm very sorry, Yagami, I thought I was doing it properly…! I didn't think of you! Forgive me!"

Endou closed his eyes, begging for mercy and, at the same time, to avoid looking at Reina. Making the most of the moment, the girl surprised him by pushing him to the ground and crawling over him while the boy was lying down. Mamoru opened his eyes again and started trembling when he felt what was coming closer.

"Don't apologize. I'll just fix your bug."

"Maybe we shouldn't…"

"Hm? I wasn't asking for your permission."

Reina pulled down Endou's pants and underwear, leaving him exposed before his amazed gaze. The boy's breathing speed up. She barely had a little blush on her cheeks as she took off her own pants and placed herself atop Endou.

"Wasn't this what you wanted?"

"If it's with you… o-of course I want!"

"…That's the answer I was looking for."

Reina leant over Mamoru and placed her mouth just a few millimetres away from the goalkeeper's. She could smell Mamoru's sweat and even feel it coming from every pore of his body. Raimon's captain was struggling to breathe under the pressure of Yagami's heavy breasts on his thorax. The sadistic girl delighted herself with the feeling of Endou's laboured breathing on her chest, as it moved up and down in sync with the young man's, in a very irregular way.

Endou caressed Yagami's back, putting his hands under her clothes. His fingertips, rough and full of callouses from so many hours of training, contrasted with the girl's smooth and pure skin, who would arch her back slightly at every caress, trying, somehow, to extend the contact with the boy as much as possible. Nevertheless, despite the caresses and the reflexive actions of her body, Yagami's expression stayed as serene as always. Endou couldn't hold a smile when he saw that, in spite of everything that had happened between them, Reina-chan was still the same cold girl as ever, who he was so fond of.

"I love you… so much…"

"Seriously? Then, do something for me."

"W-whatever you want…!"

"Don't call me Yagami ever again."

After licking his lips, Reina started kissing Mamoru slowly, increasing the pace and the intensity gradually. Between her hands, the offspring of Endou's excitation was becoming stronger each second. When they finally broke up the kiss, never letting their tongues stop caressing each other ever out of their mouths, Reina began to descend over Mamoru, causing a shiver of pleasure to run through their backs.

"Is it… b-b-better like this, Reina… chan?" Mamoru managed to say between gasps.

"Much, much better…~" She smiled as she writhed gracefully, still breathless from the kiss and from the nervousness that, eventually, had ended up taking possession of her too.

"I just want the best for you… You know that, right…?"

"Yes…"

"Reina-chan…"

"T-tell me."

"You… w-wanted to do it again…?"

"I prefer seeing your face to… making love per se, Mamoru-kun."

"Is that… ahh… good…?"

"Mhm… It means that… I enjoy your company."

"Being with you is g-great… I don't mind what we do, but… Let's be together, alright…?"

Reina blushed a little more and brought her face next to the boy's again.

"You're… so freaking sweet."

"…At least you don't just call me freak anymore…"

"You still are."

"Does it… bother you?"

"No… Quite the opposite."

Endou looked for Yagami's hands and linked his fingers with the girl's.

"Reina… I-I love you…"

"I love you, Mamoru."

A violent, endless kiss kept them company during that last afternoon they spent together. They knew that it was over, that things hadchanged too much for that delicate balance to stand the test of time. The routine had come to an end, for better or worse, and it was time for history to go on again just as the destiny had planned it. Those bonds that linked them were about to radically change. Their feelings had become clear; their ideas and dreams had been exposed. A friendship that would last thanks to the strong affective and soccer-related bases it had been built over. A mutual admiration that verged on the almost inexistent limits the king of sports offers. A very real yet almost inexplicable love: a crazy love, sincere, impossible at many levels; one of those loves that one seeks to enjoy to its fullest because they know beforehand that the end is near. An affection that, between smiles, kisses and tears, in fact, came to an end. A passion that, if not eradicated, would condition them forever and would make them lose too much of their precious time. A time that they both would have to make the most of for the sake of humanity.

That day, the tea that once was scalding hot got cold for the last time.


End file.
